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The Top 10 Ways to Make Coffee at Home

Coffee Brewing Methods

There are often six types of coffee drinkers. While some swear that drip filtering and the pressurized infusion are the best, others cannot have a day go by without a coffee made through the vacuum filtering method. The rest are fans of percolating, boiling, and tea bag methods.

Until a few years ago, having coffee at a pub or a café was the habit. That’s not very applicable to our daily lifestyles anymore, especially for those who love an early morning reawakening coffee.

The advent of home espresso machines has changed habits a bit. However, in reality, the methods of coffee brewing are many and often ignored.

For this reason, we have thought of a quick overview of ways to arrive at the above-mentioned six methods. From the simplest to the most complex and the most loved flavor that awakens, here are the 10 ways to make coffee at home.

Hint: Of the methods listed below, the AeroPress is by far the easiest to take out on the road or camping!

Method #1 – The Good Old Espresso Machine

The espresso machine is for those who love strong, rich, complex coffee drinks. It uses an electric pump in driving preheated water into a coffee bed via the machine’s brew chamber.

The operation of the espresso coffee machine is very simple. It passes decalcified water at a temperature of 94°C and a pressure of around 9 bars through the coffee powder. According to experts, the temperature should not be more than 96°C.

It is the combined action of temperature and water pressure that allows obtaining a coffee with an unmistakable aroma and scent when compared to all other extraction methods.

For each espresso, it is advisable to use 7 grams of powder. If the dose is lower or higher, the extraction times change.

  • Brew Time: 20 to 30 seconds
  • Grind Type: finely-ground coffee 
  • Grind Amount: 7 grams
  • Average Cost: around $500

Also see: Coffee Makers with a Difference

Method #2 – Pour Over / Drip

Pour-over is an umbrella term used to describe different extraction methods. They have in common the percolation method. With this method, the water passes through the coffee and drips into the cup, taking the flavor with it.

Together with the infusion, it is one of the most classic (well, some call it primitive) brewing systems. The novelty in pour-over came with Melitta Bentz, a German entrepreneur, in 1908, who introduced paper filters instead of cloth.

He gave the impetus to the spread of manual filter coffee to the detriment of preset coffee machines.

The coffee extracted in this way is a choice of those who love coffee drinks that are rich in aroma, medium-bodied, and very pleasant to taste.

  • Brew Time: 3 to 4 minutes
  • Grind Type: medium-coarse grind
  • Grind Amount: 30 grams (3 tbsps)
  • Average Cost: $30 to $40

Method #3 – French Press

The French Press is one of the best and easiest ways to make a cup of perfect coffee. It is a full immersion brewer with a metal mesh filter.

For a French press, you need coarsely ground coffee. Pour in the coffee powder, add water at a suitable temperature. Let everything steep for 4-5 minutes and push the plunger down.

There are both glass and stainless steel French presses on the market. It is an extremely easy way to make a cup of coffee.

You can get a stronger, more flavorful cup of coffee. You can prepare up to eight cups at a time. It allows precise control over the brewing time. It is also possible to use it for cold-brewed coffee or loose leaf tea.

  • Brew Time: 4 minutes
  • Grind Type: coarse even ground
  • Grind Amount: 30 grams for 350 grams of water
  • Average Cost: $20 to $50

Method #4 – AeroPress

The AeroPress uses pressure to prepare coffee. Invented by Aerobie Frisbee inventor, the AeroPress is now a cult coffee gadget.

The AeroPress is a kind of giant syringe in which the coffee is infused with hot water to later filter it under pressure through a paper filter that is incorporated at one of its ends.

This filter prevents solids from entering the cup, which can cause the coffee to become bitter.

It’s for those who love to get a cup with a lot of body, acidity, sweetness, and a very long aftertaste.

With this, you can obtain coffee of different concentrations and flavors, with varying factors such as the size of the bean grind, the amount and temperature of the water, and the infusion time.

It is one of the easiest methods for making coffee at home.

  • Brew Time: 2.5 minutes
  • Grind Type: medium-fine grind
  • Grind Amount: 18 grams for 200 grams water
  • Average Cost: $30 to $35

Method #5 – Moka Pot

The Moka pot, also known as the stove-top or electric coffee maker, has long been the choice of people who prefer intense and strong coffee.

It was first patented in Italy by the Bialetti Company. Most Bialetti Moka pots are made of aluminum, but you can also find a stainless steel Moka pot.

It produces a delicious, espresso cup of coffee and requires a great deal of customization. The disadvantage is that it’s awkward to master, so sometimes the result is an over-extracted and bitter cup of coffee.

  • Brew Time: 8 to 10 minutes
  • Grind Type: medium to medium-fine grind
  • Grind Amount: 20 to 22 grams
  • Average Cost: $30

Method #6 – Hand Held / Manual

In our opinion, the hand filter is the past, but also the future of good, puristic coffee.

Preparing coffee with a hand filter is an inexpensive way to filter a good coffee. The most important accessory is of course the hand filter, a filter holder, and a paper filter.

Just take your hand filter and the matching paper filter. Bend it at the perforated side and bottom seam and place it in the hand filter.

Now swivel the filter thoroughly with lukewarm water. The hand filter should then be rinsed. Now the water draws on and brings it to a boil.

The coffee should be freshly ground. You should not use boiling water. Approx. 90 degrees Celsius is sufficient.

After grinding, put the ground coffee in the hand filter, shake it a little so that the powder surface is even, and place it on your cup or pot.

Now take your kettle or your kettle and pour the water over the coffee powder.

  • Brew Time: 4 to 6 minutes
  • Grind Type: fine or medium freshly ground
  • Grind Amount: 55 to 60 grams per 1 liter jug
  • Average Cost: $15

Method #7 – Vacuum Siphon

The vacuum siphon method originates from Japan. It is a mixed-method that combines descending and immersion. It works like a vacuum coffee maker.

This method has two glass chambers. A heat source is placed under the lower chamber that contains the water; This causes the pressure to increase and the water to rise through a column that joins both chambers.

Once on top, the water is infused with the grains. At the end of the immersion time, the heat source is removed so that the infusion goes down and the coffee is ready to be served.

It’s for those who love to get a cup of clean and sweeter coffee with body, and intense flavor.

Making coffee with a vacuum maker is one of the most visually interesting of all the brewing methods. It’s your two-to-zero choice when you want to amaze all of your friends.

It’ll bring you a cup of gentle coffee and visual brew, but it’s hard to clean.

  • Brew Time: 2 minutes
  • Grind Type: slightly fine ground
  • Grind Amount: 26g for 375g water
  • Average Cost: $80

Method #8 – Cold Brew

A close relative of cold coffee, coffee with the cold brew method is obtained through an innovative cold extraction process.

Coldwater is used instead of hot water. Water is then mixed with coffee (specifically ground) and cold extracted for a duration ranging from eight to twelve hours.

The drops of cold water flow through the ground coffee, imprisoning all its aromas and properties, giving life to the cold brew dripper coffee which is so-called because it means cold infusion that drips.

Generally, the appliances used to extract cold coffee consist of an upper tank into which the iced water is inserted, which will keep dropping and reaching another tank containing the ground coffee.

Through a valve, it is possible to regulate the flow of these drops. Under the tank with the ground coffee, there is the last container. That is the one in which the drops of coffee will flow.

It’s for those who love smooth, sweet, and less acidic coffee than hot coffee.

  • Brew Time: around 12 to 20 hours
  • Grind Type: coarse grind
  • Grind Amount: one cup for four cups of water
  • Average Cost: $80

Method #9 – Coffee Bag

Coffee bags are commercial coffee products prepared in a disposable form. You can use it to make cold or hot brewed coffee in a time-saving manner.

Just fill with one cup, pull the drawstrings to tighten the top of the bag. Then submerge the coffee bag in a half gallon of water. For the cold brew method, you can leave it brewing for around 12 to 24 hours, ensuring the drawstring is hanging out for a mess-free removal. 

With the bags, you can steep your coffee like tea. Coffee bags may not be the best method to prepare a fresh cup of coffee. However, they are very handy and easy to make. They may not be the best choice for home use as most people will prefer instant coffee powder. However, coffee bags are very handy for a quick and mess-free coffee drink in the office.

You can even recycle most coffee bags. Easy to dispose off, you can also send them into your composter.

  • Brew Time: $12 to $24 hours
  • Grind Type: Fine or coarse ground
  • Grind Amount: one bag per coffee cup
  • Average Cost: $12

Method #10 – Turkish Coffee

This uses the infusion method to extract aromas and flavors from coffee powder, medium and freshly ground or preferably crushed in a mortar.

It is prepared in the typical tinned copper pot, cezve or ibrik, filled with water according to the number of cups to be extracted. Just add 2 teaspoons of powder to each cup.

Over very low heat, bring the suspension to a boil, holding the jug by the handle, to prevent the foam from escaping when boiling.

After this first boiling, the coffee is distributed up to half a cup, and the pot is put back on the fire to bring it to a boil again.

At this point the liquid and the foam are distributed again equally; the coffee obtained is not filtered: it must be sipped in small sips without quickly tilting the cup, causing the dust to settle on the bottom. It can be sweetened according to the tastes of the guests.

  • Brew Time: 3 to 4 minutes
  • Grind Type: medium and freshly ground
  • Grind Amount: 2 teaspoons per 1 coffee cup
  • Average Cost: $25

Final Thoughts

One of the most fascinating aspects of coffee today is the diversity. The coffee has different origins, brewing accessories, processing methods, roasting methods, and extraction methods. The barista and drinker have a great impact on this last factor. The first will use all his art to serve an excellent coffee and enhance the characteristics of the variety while the second will decide what he wants to drink.

Coffee is very versatile and that means that we can obtain different results with the same coffee but with different preparation methods. But you no longer need to go to a pub or coffee shop to have a great cup of coffee.

Coffee can be prepared easily with the connoisseur-like and personalized taste right in your kitchen. From the espresso to the AeroPress, french press, Turkish method, Japanese vacuum siphon, cold brew, manual, Moka pot, pour-over, and the coffee bag methods, there are a lot of processing methods that can leave you spoiled. All that is left for you is to choose by asking how you like your coffee to taste.

home > Perfect your Brew > The Top 10 Ways to Make Coffee at Home

Evelyn J Stafford

Evelyn is a Coffee enthusiast and writer for Wins Coffee Bar. Her work has appeared in Bean Scene, The Home Kitchen and other publications.

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